Apparatus for Circumferential Suction Step Multibiopsy of the Esophagus or Other Luminal Structure with Serial Collection, Storage and Processing of Biopsy Specimens within a Removable Distal Cassette for In Situ Analysis

Abstract

A circumferential suction step multibiopsy apparatus for performing a medical procedure has an elongated flexible member with an aperture extending longitudinally therethrough and an actuator positioned within the aperture. The open tube shaft is connected to a side arm for suction or irrigation including radiopaque contrast and dye staining. There is a cassette removably connected to the actuator for cutting and serially collecting biopsy specimens, for in situ chemical, biological or genetic testing by immediate reaction with the biopsy specimens before metabolic changes, degradation or contamination can occur or for fixation, staining and other processing and analysis.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 645,896, filed on Jan. 21, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to an apparatus for a circumferential suction step multibiopsy of the esophagus or other luminal structure with serial collection, storage and processing of biopsy specimens in situ. The device simultaneously cuts and captures multiple circumferential suction biopsy specimens of a closely defined size to permit serial entry into a segmented removable distal storage cassette for in situ chemical, biological or genetic testing by immediate contact of reagents with the biopsy specimens before metabolic changes, degradation or contamination can occur or for fixation, staining and other processing and analysis. The cassette may be optically transparent for physical analysis of the tissue without removal from the cassette after separation from the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a circumferential suction step multibiopsy device with serial collection and storage of biopsy specimens in a distal removable biopsy processing cassette that is

Problems solved by technology

These samples can only be retrieved by catheterization methods using endoscopic or fluoroscopic control, or by blind biopsy.

During this acquisition and collection process, the minute specimens were frequently lost and are contaminated by passage through the biopsy path or the endoscope instrument channel and by handling.

During this process, the staff is exposed to potentially infectious human fluids, tissue and toxic fixatives.

This prolonged the procedure and could cause it to fail, if the position of the biopsy instrument could not be reacquired during the repeated passes through the endoscope.

This prolongs the procedure, increasing the quantity of sedative administered to the patient, risk and cost.

Furthermore, when the extent of disease such as cancer or dysplasia required diagnosis as in Barrett's esophagus, the precise site of the biopsies was difficult to know with precision.

If after processing and microscopy, dysplasia or cancer were later identified, confirmatory biop

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